Terms of UseHow to Fix a Wobbly Trestle Table Explore this Article methods 1 Fixing Uneven Trestle Table Legs 2 Troubleshooting Wobbly Tabletops 3 Repairing Loose Trestle Stretchers Other Sections Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Christopher M. Osborne, PhD
Last Updated: January 21, 2022 References
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA. His scholarly publications and presentations focus on his research interests in early American history, but Chris also enjoys the challenges and rewards of writing wikiHow articles on a wide range of subjects. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 5,240 times.
A trestle table can lose stability with regular use, and its unique style may leave you flummoxed even if you’ve tackled wobbly tables before. The good news is this is usually an easy fix, despite the distinctive design of the classic trestle table—a tabletop resting on two or more supports that are connected by one or more horizontal cross-pieces called stretchers. To help out your wobbly table repair job, this article identifies several common causes of the problem and a range of DIY-friendly solutions.
Steps
Method 1 Method 1 of 3:
Fixing Uneven Trestle Table Legs
1 Slide a scrap of cardboard under an uneven leg for a quick, temporary fix. This may not be the most elegant solution, but it does get the job done in a pinch. Cut out a square of cardboard—or use a matchbook—to wedge between a smaller gap between the problematic table leg and the floor. For a larger gap, cut out a longer strip of cardboard and fold it over one or several times until it’s thick enough to bridge the gap.[1]XResearch source
If you’re looking for a more permanent fix, keep reading!
2 Measure and mark the leg(s) that aren’t touching the floor. Start by getting down on the floor and taking a close look at the leg bottoms. Use a ruler to measure any gaps between the floor and the table legs and jot these figures down. Then mark the problematic leg(s) with chalk so you don’t lose track of which ones need adjusted.
Especially if you live in an older home, keep in mind that the problem might be your floor, not your table. If you’re not dead-set on having the table in that exact spot, try moving it to see if it’s still wobbly.
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3 Flip the table over without damaging the tabletop. If the tabletop easily separates from the legs, remove it and then flip the legs over so the feet are facing up. If the tabletop is securely in place, lay a large blanket on the floor and have a friend help you flip the entire table over onto it.[2]XResearch source
The blanket will ensure that you don’t accidentally scratch up your tabletop.
4 Tap nail-on gliders onto the legs that aren’t causing problems. Head to the hardware store and pick up a pack of nail-on table leg gliders, which look a bit like really big thumbtacks. Hold the nail-tip side of a glider against the wood on the underside of one of your table’s feet and tap it in fully with a rubber mallet. Repeat the process with the other table feet, excepting for the time being the uneven leg.[3]XResearch source
Buy gliders with a felt-like material on the flat side for use on hard floors, or with smooth plastic for rugs or carpet.
Most trestle tables have “beefy” legs, not thin, spindly ones that might split if you pound nails into the bottom. If you’re concerned about this, drill pilot holes with a power drill, using a bit that is smaller in diameter than the nails in the gliders. Set each nail tip into a pilot hole and tap them in with a mallet.
5 Slide washers over the nail of the glider for the uneven leg. Grab a pack of metal washers from the home improvement store when you go shopping for nail-on gliders. Based either on your measurement of the gap or just your best guess, slip on enough washers to equal the spacing between the uneven table leg and the floor.[4]XResearch source
Add as many washers as you need, so long as at least half of the nail tip is still available to be driven into the table leg.
6 Tap on the washer-adjusted glider, then flip and test the table. Tap this glider into the foot of the table leg with the mallet like before, this time until the washers are pinned between the slider disc and the bottom of the leg. Put the table back into its original position and test it out. The wobble should be gone, and the table will be easier to slide along the floor as an added bonus.[5]XResearch source Advertisement
Method 2 Method 2 of 3:
Troubleshooting Wobbly Tabletops
1 Tighten loose screws or bolts if your tabletop is held by these fasteners. You’ll frequently find screws (or sometimes bolts) holding the tabletop to the legs on a modern trestle table. These mechanical fasteners usually go through metal collars or brackets that secure the legs to the tabletop. Take a look under the table—if you spot this configuration, grab a screwdriver and hand-tighten each screw by twisting clockwise. Test to see if the wobble is gone.[6]XResearch source
If the mechanical fasteners are bolts instead of screws, tighten them with a socket wrench.
2 Relocate any screws that won’t hold tight in a loose cleat. Cleats are blocks of wood that surround the top of a table leg to hold the tabletop in place. They’re typically screwed into the underside of the tabletop and may or may not be screwed into the leg as well. If any of the cleats are loose, try tightening all the screws to secure them. If the screws won’t “bite” into the wood to hold the cleat firmly, use a drill to carefully create new pilot holes in other spots along the loose cleat:[7]XResearch source
First, remove the old, loose screws and choose a drill bit that’s both shorter in length and slightly smaller in diameter than the old screws.
Then, drill new pilot holes in the cleat about 1⁄2–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm) away from each of the existing pilot holes.
Lastly, secure the old screws—or new screws of the same size—into the new pilot holes with a screwdriver.
3 Fix a tabletop that slides around by making cleats yourself. Not all trestle tables come with cleats—the blocks that surround the tops of the table legs to hold the tabletop in place. If your table is missing its cleats or never had them to begin with, it's easy to add new ones. You can buy plastic screw-on cleats, make simple cleats out of 1 in × 1 in (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) craft sticks, or fashion more intricate cleats out of fine wood to match the table. To install them:[8]XResearch source
Flip the table over and position the legs in place on the underside of the tabletop.
Use a pencil to trace the outline of the table legs where they meet the underside of the tabletop, then remove the legs.
Drill pilot holes into the cleats and position them around the outside of the tracing lines. Use enough cleats to prevent the tabletop from sliding in any direction.
Make matching pilot holes in the underside of the tabletop, making sure not to drill all the way through it.
Screw the cleats onto the underside of the tabletop, confirming beforehand that the screws are short enough that they won’t go all the way through the tabletop.
Set the table right-side up, using the cleats to hold the tabletop in place while also enabling it to be removed as desired.
4 Replace failing tenons or glue if your table has mortise and tenon joints. In this setup, the tabletop is held steady by wood tenons (cylinder, disc, or domino-shaped pieces) that protrude from the tops of the legs and fit into mortises (hollowed-out pockets that match the tenon shape) cut into the underside of the tabletop. With the help of a friend, lift the tabletop straight up and off of the tenons to inspect and repair them as needed. For instance:[9]XResearch source
If a tenon has come loose, re-glue it into the mortise cut into the top of the table leg. Remove as much of the old glue as you can with sandpaper, then squeeze wood glue into the mortise pocket and onto the side of the tenon that fits into it. Press the tenon into the mortise, tap it lightly with a mallet to set it firmly, wipe away any excess glue, and allow the glue to dry before reassembling the table.
If a tenon has broken, replace it either by buying a match at a woodworking store or by making a matching replacement yourself. Install it by following the same process as listed above for a loose tenon.
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Method 3 Method 3 of 3:
Repairing Loose Trestle Stretchers
1 Confirm the stretcher has traditional “tusk tenon” joints. On a classic-style trestle table, the horizontal support beam (“stretcher”) that connects two table legs passes through pockets in the legs and creates “tusks” that extend beyond the legs. Wedge-shaped wood tenons are driven down vertically through mortises in the tusks to hold the stretcher in place.[10]XResearch source
A stretcher stabilizes the table by preventing the legs from bowing outward.
Classic trestle tables usually have one stretcher, but some variations have two or even four.
If you need more help visualizing all of this, do an image search for “tusk tenon joint” with your preferred search engine.
2 Tap down on the wedges to drive them deeper into the tusks. Part of the beauty of a tusk tenon joint is its simplicity! Tapping down on the wedge-shaped tenons not only tightens their connection to the stretcher, it also pushes the wedges against the table legs and stabilizes the entire setup. Tap fairly gently with a rubber mallet so you don’t damage the fine craftsmanship of the tusk tenon joint.[11]XResearch source
3 Try tightening the fasteners if it isn’t a tusk tenon stretcher. Modern and/or mass-produced trestle tables sometimes use stretchers without tusk tenons, or have faux tusk tenons that don’t actually do anything. Such tables usually use screws or bolts instead, in which case you can probably stabilize the table by tightening these mechanical fasteners with a screwdriver or wrench.[12]XResearch source
Some trestle tables might employ standard mortise and tenon joints instead of tusk and tenon joints. In this case the unseen tenons will fit into mortises cut into the ends of the stretcher and the inner sides of the legs. This repair involves removing the stretcher, replacing any broken tenons or failed glue, and reassembling the trestle as before.
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Tips
In its original form, a trestle table’s top wasn’t connected to the legs at all so that it could be easily taken apart and stored. Many modern trestle tables, however, do have some type of connection between the top and the legs. Take a peek under the tabletop to figure out if and how it’s connected.[13]XResearch sourceThanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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Co-authored by: Christopher M. Osborne, PhD wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA. His scholarly publications and presentations focus on his research interests in early American history, but Chris also enjoys the challenges and rewards of writing wikiHow articles on a wide range of subjects. This article has been viewed 5,240 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 3Updated: January 21, 2022 Views: 5,240
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Co-authored by: Christopher M. Osborne, PhD wikiHow Staff Writer This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD. Christopher Osborne has been a wikiHow Content Creator since 2015. He is also a historian who holds a PhD from The University of Notre Dame and has taught at universities in and around Pittsburgh, PA. His scholarly publications and presentations focus on his research interests in early American history, but Chris also enjoys the challenges and rewards of writing wikiHow articles on a wide range of subjects. This article has been viewed 5,240 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 3 Updated: January 21, 2022 Views: 5,240 
wikiHow Newsletter You're all set! Helpful how-tos delivered toyour inbox every week! Sign me up! By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. 
590 
1 Slide a scrap of cardboard under an uneven leg for a quick, temporary fix. This may not be the most elegant solution, but it does get the job done in a pinch. Cut out a square of cardboard—or use a matchbook—to wedge between a smaller gap between the problematic table leg and the floor. For a larger gap, cut out a longer strip of cardboard and fold it over one or several times until it’s thick enough to bridge the gap.[1] 
2 Measure and mark the leg(s) that aren’t touching the floor. Start by getting down on the floor and taking a close look at the leg bottoms. Use a ruler to measure any gaps between the floor and the table legs and jot these figures down. Then mark the problematic leg(s) with chalk so you don’t lose track of which ones need adjusted. 
3 Flip the table over without damaging the tabletop. If the tabletop easily separates from the legs, remove it and then flip the legs over so the feet are facing up. If the tabletop is securely in place, lay a large blanket on the floor and have a friend help you flip the entire table over onto it.[2] 
4 Tap nail-on gliders onto the legs that aren’t causing problems. Head to the hardware store and pick up a pack of nail-on table leg gliders, which look a bit like really big thumbtacks. Hold the nail-tip side of a glider against the wood on the underside of one of your table’s feet and tap it in fully with a rubber mallet. Repeat the process with the other table feet, excepting for the time being the uneven leg.[3] 
5 Slide washers over the nail of the glider for the uneven leg. Grab a pack of metal washers from the home improvement store when you go shopping for nail-on gliders. Based either on your measurement of the gap or just your best guess, slip on enough washers to equal the spacing between the uneven table leg and the floor.[4] 
6 Tap on the washer-adjusted glider, then flip and test the table. Tap this glider into the foot of the table leg with the mallet like before, this time until the washers are pinned between the slider disc and the bottom of the leg. Put the table back into its original position and test it out. The wobble should be gone, and the table will be easier to slide along the floor as an added bonus.[5] Advertisement 
1 Tighten loose screws or bolts if your tabletop is held by these fasteners. You’ll frequently find screws (or sometimes bolts) holding the tabletop to the legs on a modern trestle table. These mechanical fasteners usually go through metal collars or brackets that secure the legs to the tabletop. Take a look under the table—if you spot this configuration, grab a screwdriver and hand-tighten each screw by twisting clockwise. Test to see if the wobble is gone.[6] 
2 Relocate any screws that won’t hold tight in a loose cleat. Cleats are blocks of wood that surround the top of a table leg to hold the tabletop in place. They’re typically screwed into the underside of the tabletop and may or may not be screwed into the leg as well. If any of the cleats are loose, try tightening all the screws to secure them. If the screws won’t “bite” into the wood to hold the cleat firmly, use a drill to carefully create new pilot holes in other spots along the loose cleat:[7] 
3 Fix a tabletop that slides around by making cleats yourself. Not all trestle tables come with cleats—the blocks that surround the tops of the table legs to hold the tabletop in place. If your table is missing its cleats or never had them to begin with, it's easy to add new ones. You can buy plastic screw-on cleats, make simple cleats out of 1 in × 1 in (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) craft sticks, or fashion more intricate cleats out of fine wood to match the table. To install them:[8] 
4 Replace failing tenons or glue if your table has mortise and tenon joints. In this setup, the tabletop is held steady by wood tenons (cylinder, disc, or domino-shaped pieces) that protrude from the tops of the legs and fit into mortises (hollowed-out pockets that match the tenon shape) cut into the underside of the tabletop. With the help of a friend, lift the tabletop straight up and off of the tenons to inspect and repair them as needed. For instance:[9] 
1 Confirm the stretcher has traditional “tusk tenon” joints. On a classic-style trestle table, the horizontal support beam (“stretcher”) that connects two table legs passes through pockets in the legs and creates “tusks” that extend beyond the legs. Wedge-shaped wood tenons are driven down vertically through mortises in the tusks to hold the stretcher in place.[10] 
2 Tap down on the wedges to drive them deeper into the tusks. Part of the beauty of a tusk tenon joint is its simplicity! Tapping down on the wedge-shaped tenons not only tightens their connection to the stretcher, it also pushes the wedges against the table legs and stabilizes the entire setup. Tap fairly gently with a rubber mallet so you don’t damage the fine craftsmanship of the tusk tenon joint.[11] 
3 Try tightening the fasteners if it isn’t a tusk tenon stretcher. Modern and/or mass-produced trestle tables sometimes use stretchers without tusk tenons, or have faux tusk tenons that don’t actually do anything. Such tables usually use screws or bolts instead, in which case you can probably stabilize the table by tightening these mechanical fasteners with a screwdriver or wrench.[12] 
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